Thursday, October 28, 2010

A High Wind in Jamaica

Well it's been nearly a year since the last post. Apologies. I'll try to keep the noise down.Sarah handed me A High Wind in Jamaica and said "you should read this," and i did, and now i'm posting about it here and saying You should read it too. This book is nearly the perfect short novel. It was written around 1928 by Richard Hughes, and follows the mis/adventures of a group of young children ages four to eleven. The story is told usually from the children's perspective, even when using the adult narrator's voice, which i think is masterful. The brand of "children's perspective" here is basically animalistic. Hughes manages to take what might be a light romp and reveal the bestial nature of childhood reality. The book is simultaneously morbid and hilarious, the writing is graceful, and it's only 277 pages. Thanks, Sarah !